GST, demonetisation hasty steps, says Anand Sharma

Lalit Mohan

Tribune News Service

Dharamsala, October 23

The GST and demonetisation were flawed and hasty steps taken by the Narendra Modi government, which damaged the economy of the country. The former union minister and senior Congress leader, Anand Sharma, stated this while talking to The Tribune here today.

He was in Nagrota Bagwan to take part in a roadshow of Transport Minister GS Bali.

Anand Sharma said as per some reports, about 33 per cent jobs in the unorganised sector had been hit due to the GST implementation and demonetisation.

The same was predicted by former Prime Minister Manmohan Singh that the GDP of the country had fallen by two points after demonetisation. India that was the fastest growing economy in the world during the UPA rule had fallen behind China, the former minister said.

The BJP had promised to create 2 crore jobs in its election manifesto. “The irony is that an equal number of jobs have been lost in the three-year NDA rule. The party had won the last parliamentary elections in a tsunami of anti-establishment. But now the people of the country, especially the youth, have realised that the party has nothing to offer to them. The Congress, on the other hand, has a proven track record of welfare policy, social security and better management of the economy,” Anand Sharma said.

He praised Bali for works executed by him in the past five years. “During the minister’s tenure, new engineering, diploma, management and pharmacy colleges have been opened in the government sector in Himachal. The Transport Department has also been transformed,” he added.

Earlier, the minister filed nomination papers and organised a political rally. He said Nagrota Bagwan had witnessed rapid development in the past five years and jobs had been created for the youth. He urged the voters to be vigilant against the false propaganda in the election days and ensure the victory of the Congress.